Self wringing mop



1935- 1:. M. JENKINS 2,023,021

SELF WRINGING MOP Filed Jan. 20, 1934 Patented Dec. 3, 1935 SELFWRINGING MOP Thomas M. Jenkins, Lennox, Galifl, assignor to Jerome H.Bishop Application January 20, 1934, Serial No. 707,464

9 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) This invention relates to self wringing mops andhas as a broad object the provision of a mop that is eficient forcleaning purposes and that can be easily, quickly and thoroughly wrung.

Most self wring mops can be segregated into two general types: (1) Thosein which the mop is twisted and (2) those in which the mop is drawnbetween rolls.

Probably most of the self wringing mops that have appeared on the markethave been of the first type. They are open to the criticism that thetwisting causes heavy strains on the mop cloth and does not removeimbedded dirt from the cloth, thereby permitting it to become stiii andineffective for cleaning.

' My improved mop is of the second type in which the mop cloth is wrungby drawing it between rolls. It is well known that this method is moreeliective in removing dirt as well as water than the twisting method andalso that it imposes'less strain on the mop cloth. My mop differs fromprior known mops of the second type in the construction of the rollmechanism and the construction and operation of the mechanism forsupporting the mop cloth and drawing it through the rolls.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my mop in cleaning position;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view partly in section of the mop in the sameposition shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View showing the mounting of the rolls;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View through one end of the mop cloth,showing the supporting plate therein;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed View of the mech: anism for attaching oneend of the mop cloth to the lower end of the mop handle; and I Fig. 6 isan enlarged detailed view showing the manner of attaching the upper endof-the mop cloth to the handle.

Referring to the drawing, my mop comprises a handle 8 having a U-shapedsupporting memher 2 rigidly secured to its lower end as by a a rod =3,which in turn is secured at its outer ends to a mop supporting plate 5which is folded back at its forward end to define a groove whichreceives one end of the mop cloth 6. Referring for the moment to Fig. 4,it will be observed that the ends of the mop cloth 6 are hemmed toreceive a flat metal strip 1, the latter having a central aperture 8therein which registers with a central aperture through the hem of themop cloth. The hemmed end of the mop is secured in the groove in theplate 5 by means of a curved pin 5 9 which, as shown to best advantagein Figs. 2 and 5, is loosely fitted at its upper end in an aperture 21in the plate 5 immediately below the end of the mop handle I, and isprovided with a head 23 on the under side of the plate 5 to pre- 10 Ventit escaping from the aperture. The free end of the pin 9 passes throughapertures 29 in the folded edges of the plate 5 which are adapted toregister with the aperture 8 in the metal strip 'I in the mop cloth hemwhen the latter is positioned in the groove. The pin 9 normally retainsthe end of the mop cloth positively attached to the plate 5 since, asshown in Figs. 2 and 5, the lower end of the handle I bears against thepin 9 in the cleaning position of the mop. However, by swinging thehandle downwardly its lower end may be disengaged from the pin 9 and thelatter thereafter swung out of the apertures 29 in the folded edges ofthe plate 5 to permit removal of an old mop cloth and insertion of a newone.

The opposite end of the mop cloth is secured by a hook ID to the loweredge of a ferrule II, which fits loosely on the handle I. It is to beunderstood that both ends of the mop cloth are 30 hemmed exactly asshown in Fig. 4 and the hook It engages the aperture 8 in the metalstrip 1 in the rear end of the mop cloth.

The mop wringing elements consist of a pair of rolls l2 and I3,respectively, supported in a. frame which is attached to a secondferrule I4, also loosely fitted on the mop handle I and positioned belowthe ferrule II. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the frame for supporting therolls comprises a metal strip member !5 riveted or otherwise attached tothe second ferrule It and having downwardly bent ends I6 which areprovided with apertures for receiving the axles of the rolls I2 and I3,respectively. The apertures for receiving the axle of the lower roll l2are circular and of 5 size to loosely receive the axle. However, theapertures IT for receiving the ends of the axle of roll I3 are ofsubstantially larger dimensions than the axle and shaped as shown inFig. 3 to permit relative movement longitudinally and vertically of theaxle with respect to the supporting frame. To normally force the roll I3toward the roll I2, a pair of plates l8 are journalled on the. axle ofthe roll I3 just within the arms I6, these plates I8 being provided withpins or stub shafts I9 which extend through apertures 20 providedtherefor in the plate 55. A spiral spring 21 is positioned about eachpin is between the plate i8 and the plate It) to urge the roll it towardthe roll l2.

In the wringing operation to be described later, the ferrule ii issometimes anchored to the lower end of the handle l and sometimes isslid upwardly along the handle. To anchor the ferrule i l in lowerposition, the ferrule is provided with a slot 36 at its lower endadapted to engage a hook 22 on the clamping member 2. To facilitateupward movement of the ferrule I l along the handle, the ferrule isprovided at its upper end with a hook 23 adapted to engage with a slot3i in the lower edge of the ferrule l 5.

My mop is operated as follows: As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the mop is incleaning position, in which both ferrules l l and M are at the lower endof the handle 9 and a portion of the mop cloth intermediate its ends iscompressed between the floor to be cleaned and the lower edge 32 (Fig.5) of the plate 5. This permits the application of substantial pressureon a narrow transverse strip of the mop cloth, thereby giving asubstantial scrubbing effect. If this pressure were always applied tothe same portion of the mop cloth, the latter would soon be worn out.However, it is possible to distribute the wear over a considerableportion of the mop cloth by bringing the edge 32 of plate 5 to rest ondifferent longitudinal portions of the cloth.

To wring the cloth, the ferrule H is grasped by the operator, deflectedto disengage the slot 3i therein from the hook 23 on the lower ferruleHi, and then slid up along the handle 5. This pulls the mop clothupwardly between the rolls l2 and I3. Substantial pressure is exerted onthe mop by the rolls during this operation for the reason that themovement of the mop cloth tends to swing the upper roll 53 into theposition shown in Fig. 3, in which the springs 2i exert their full forcedirectly towards the stationary roll l2. As a result, practically all ofthe water. that can be removed from the mop cloth is removed during thisfirst upward movement of the ferrule M. This is advantageous becauseduring this operation the water is discharged from the lower edges ofthe rolls, away from the operator.

After the ferrule H has been pulled upwards along the handlesufilciently to draw the entire length of the mopcloth 5 through therolls (it should be noted that the frame 5 swings rearwardly andupwardly on the rod l during this operation to permit the lower end ofthe mop cloth to closely approach the rolls !2 and IS), the mop cloth isthen retracted through the rolls in the opposite direction to restore itto the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 by moving the ferrule l i intolow- 1 up along the mop cloth 6.

ermost position and deflecting it to engage the slot 3! with hook 23 onthe lower ferrule Hi. This movement not only engages the hook 23 in theslot 3| in ferrule l i but deflects the lower ferrule l to disengage theslot 36 in the lower end thereroll pressure is desirable, as heretoforementioned, because if substantial water is wrung out of the mop clothduring this latter movement it tends to be discharged or squirtedforcibly toward the operator. withdrawn along the handle I as far asthey will go the mop cloth is restored to its normal position below orin front of the rolls I 2 and I3 and by thereafter lowering the ferrulesl l and M the entire mop mechanism is restored into the position 10shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The most important advantage of my mop resides in the fact that it maybe operated very rapidly. Thus, although considerable time is requiredto describe the successive movements of the ferrules l! and M to wringthe mop cloth, these movements are really performed very rapidly and infact require only a second or two for the com plete operation.

It is to be understood that although I prefer to construct my mop asshown in the drawing, with the hook 22 for releasably anchoring theferrule It in lower position and the hook 23 for interconnecting theferrules l! and I4, it is not essential that these features be employed.Thus 25' the mop could still be manipulated if the hooks 22 and 2-3 wereelimLnated. Under these conditions, the operator, to wring the mopcloth, would grasp the ferrule M in one hand and the ferrule H in theother hand and separate them sliding the upper ferrule I! along thehandle I in so doing; thereafter the operator would restore the mop tonormal position by releasing the ferrule ll, grasping the handle I, andretracting the ferrule I i upwardly along the handle. 'I'hereafter, uponthe release of ferrule I 4, both ferrules would slide to their lowermostposition, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The construction, including the hooks 22 and 23, simplifies theoperation since the operator 40 need grasp only the handle I and ferruleII to perform the entire operation. It should be noted that theengagement of the hook 22 by the slot in ferrule M is made positiveduringthe wringing operation by virtue of the fact that the pull of themop cloth on the rolls I2 and l3'tends to rock the ferrule [4 into theposition to firmly engage the hook 22. On the other hand, when the mopcloth is retracted through the rolls l2 and it in the oppositedirection, the pull of the cloth on the rolls is in such a direction asto tend to disengage the ferrule 14 from the hook 22.

It is to be understood that various modifications may be made in theparticular mop structure disclosed in the drawings without departingfrom the spirit of the invention and that the latter is to be limitedonly'as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth, comprising incombination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mopcloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable alongsaid handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth tosaid first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted tobe drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below saidfirst member for supporting said wringer, whereby upward movement ofsaid first member along said handle while said second member is inlowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through thewringer in one direction and subsequent upward movement of said secondmember along said handle pulls the When the ferrules H and I4 have been5 t wringer back up along the mop cloth, said wringer being attached tosaid second member in close proximity thereto, and stop means on saidhandle for limiting downward movement of said second member to a pointon the handle such that the wringer is at all times positioned above thelower end of said handle and well clear of a surface being moppecl.

2. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1, in which said means foranchoring one end of the mop cloth to the lower end of the handlecomprises a rigid member extending transversely of the handlesubstantially the full width of the mop cloth and adapted to bepositioned below the end of the handle to constitute a bearing memberfor compressingan intermediate portion of the mop cloth against asurface to be cleaned.

3. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising incombination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mopcloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable alongsaid handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth tosaid first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted tobe drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below saidfirst member for supporting said wringer, whereby upward movement ofsaid first member along said handle while said second member is inlowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through thewringer in one direction and subsequent upward movement of said secondmember along said handle pulls the wringer back up along the mop cloth,said wringer being attached to said second member in close proximitythereto, stop means on said handle for limiting downward movement ofsaid second member to a point on the handle such that the wringer is atall times positioned above the lower end of said handle and well clearof a surface being mopped, and said means for securing one end of themop cloth to the lower end of the handle comprising a bearing member forcompressing an intermediate portion of the mop cloth against a surfaceto be cleaned, with means for pivotally supporting said bearing memberfor rotation between a position below and against the lower end of saidhandle and a position alongside said handle and adjacent said wringerwhen the latter is in lowermost position whereby substantially the fulllength of the mop cloth may be pulled through the wringer.

4. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1, including means forreleasably anchoring said second member in lowermost position on saidhandle, whereby said mop cloth may be drawn upwardly through saidwringer by merely moving said first member upwardly with respect to saidhandle.

5. A mop mechanism as described in claim 1 including means forreleasably interengaging said first and second members for simultaneoussliding movement along said handle, whereby said wringer may be movedupwardly alongside said handle in response to upward movement of saidfirst member.

6. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising incombination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mopcloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable alongsaid handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth tosaid first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted tobe drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below saidfirst member for supporting said wringer, whereby relative upwardmovement of said first member along said handle while said second memberis in lowermost position on said handle pulls the mop cloth through thewringer in one 5 direction and subsequent upward movement of said secondmember along said handle pulls the wringer back up along the mop cloth,in which said first and second members loosely enclose the mop handle topermit limited oscillatory motion L0 of the members on the handle aswell as sliding motion, said wringer being mounted on one side of saidsecond member and the latter having a slot on its opposite side at thelower end and a projection on said opposite side at the top end, saidhandle having a projection on the lower end thereof for engaging withthe slot on said second member, and said first member having a slotadjacent its lower end for engaging the projection on said secondmember, said projections being engaged or disengaged from theirassociated slots by suitably oscillating said members on said handle.

'7. A mop mechanism including an elongated handle, a wringer slidablymounted on the handle intermediate its ends, and means for passing a mopcloth upwardly and downwardly with respect to the wringer in a pathapproximately parallel to the handle, said wringer comprising a pair ofrolls between which the cloth is adapted to be drawn, in combinationwith means for rotatably supporting said rolls for relative movementtoward and away from each other, and means for pressing said rollsagainst the cloth,

which means is responsive to the direction of pull I exerted on saidwringer by said cloth as the cloth is drawn through the wringer toincrease the tension of said rolls when the cloth is drawn upwardlythrough the wringer and decrease the tension of the rolls when the clothis drawn downwardly through the wringer.

8. A mop mechanism for use with an elongated mop cloth comprising incombination an elongated handle, means for securing one end of a mopcloth to the lower end of said handle, a first member slidable alongsaid handle and means for securing the opposite end of the mop cloth tosaid first member, a wringer through which said mop cloth is adapted tobe drawn, a second member slidably mounted on said handle below saidfirst member for supporting said wringer and means for securing saidwringer to said second member, whereby upward movement of said firstmember along said handle while said second member is in lowermostposition on said handle pulls the mop cloth through the wringer in onedirection, and subsequent upward movement of said second member alongsaid handle pulls the wringer back along the mop cloth; in which saidwringer comprises a pair of rolls for receiving the mop cloththerebetween with means for rotatably supporting one of said rolls forrotation about an axis fixed with respect to said second member, a framefor supporting the other roll for rotation, means for supporting saidframe for swinging movement of said other roll through an arc concentricwith an are which is tangent to the surface of the one roll and forradial movement with respect to the axis of said arcs, spring means forurging said frame radially outward with respect to said axis of saidarcs, said axis of said arcs and the axis of said one roll beingpositioned in a plane approximately perpe dicular to said handle, andmeans for limiting the arcuate movement of said other roll between aposition substantially in said piane and a position therebelow, wherebyfriction between the mop cloth and the said other r011 during upwardmovement of said mop cloth through said wringer urges said other rollinto juxtaposed position with respect to said one roll, and wherebyfriction-between the mop cloth and the said other r011 during downwardmovement of the cloth with respect to the Wringer urges the said otherroll out of juxtaposed position with respect to said one roll, therebyincreasing the distance between with means comprising a cam surface fordeflecting said other r011 radially toward said axis of said arcs inresponse to arcuate movement of the roll from said first mentionedposition towards said second mentioned position.

THOMAS M. JENKINS.

